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What happened to Johnny in "The Outsiders"?
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Step 1:
I'll solve this by providing a detailed summary of Johnny's storyline in S.

E. Hinton's novel "The Outsiders":

Step 2:
: Initial Context

Johnny Cade is a vulnerable 16 -year-old Greaser from a troubled home. He is shy, quiet, and frequently abused by his parents and bullied by Socs (wealthy social class teenagers).

Step 3:
: Significant Incident

Johnny is severely beaten by Socs earlier in the novel, which traumatizes him deeply and makes him carry a switchblade for protection.

Step 4:
: Pivotal Moment

During a confrontation, Johnny unexpectedly kills Bob Sheldon (a Soc) when Bob and other Socs are attempting to drown Ponyboy Curtis in a fountain. This act forces Johnny and Ponyboy to flee and hide.

Step 5:
: Heroic Action

When a fire breaks out in a church where children are trapped, Johnny courageously enters the burning building and helps rescue the children, suffering severe burns in the process.

Step 6:
: Final Outcome

Johnny is hospitalized with critical burns. Before dying, he tells Ponyboy, "Stay gold," a reference to a Robert Frost poem about maintaining innocence and hope.

Final Answer

Johnny dies in the hospital from severe burns sustained while heroically saving children from a burning church, after previously killing a Soc in self-defense and going on the run with Ponyboy.